Blogging about movies

As I went through my reviews on a couple of movies, I decided to compare my points of view with seasoned critics'. And I noticed how beautifully all of them write. Especially Taran Adarsh, for Hindi movies, and New York Times, for English ones. The language, the lucidity, and the flow with which they effortlessly deliver judgements on movies - to such an extent that their opinion can make or break a movie - is simply amazing. Taran's reviews are very just, and neither overtly critical, nor exceedingly soft. He manages to get it just right. I should probably follow him more, and imbibe his style - Crisp, cutting and to the point. Lovely. And I especially love how he manages to sum up the tone of the movie towards the end. Most importantly, he reviews movies from an audience point of view, and not a critical one. He understands what the audience likes, and dislikes, and that's what makes him such a good critic. He is more of an audience-based critic. And without mincing words, he manages to deliver his unbiased judgement on the week's fare. He also sheds light on each and every character's performance, completing the review perfectly. I can only hope that someday I will be able to write as well as him!

Another critic (though not an official one) I admire is Ravali. Though her language and way of putting things is a little flawed, and although she has a keen eye, she cannot express it as well as she maybe could. But I have to say, her judgement is right on the spot, and she's unbiased. At this point, I also want to express my admiration for Anshul, who has a very keen eye, and focuses on the more intricate part of filmmaking (being a filmmaker himself).

Cant think of a suitable ending for this post, apart from the cliched, I hope I can write as well as them.

My Sister's Keeper

Aah, and after a long time I managed to properly watch a movie right from the beginning to the end, appreciating its finer nuances and performances. And that is the greatest achievement I have accomplished, watching movies at home. And it was a good movie.

I've been wondering - how come I only review good movies on this blog? I've seen so many bad ones, but never got an opportunity to trash them here. Nevertheless, it's much more fun to appreciate good work rather than criticize bad ones.

My Sister's Keeper is a sensitive, poignant film, narrated through the eyes of eleven year old Anna Fitzgerald, who is, in her own words, a 'designer baby', who was created only to keep her ailing sister, Kate, alive. Even though Kate knows she is fighting a losing battle, and wants to let go, her overprotective mother Sara (Cameron Diaz) won't let her. And that's where the conflict seeps in.

Young Anna seeks medical emancipation, and wants to be able to take decisions regarding her own body - which seems a little strange, but provides the perfect setting to explore the life of the Fitzgerald family, and how Kate's illness affects each one of them - Sara is forced to quit her practice, to take care of her daughter, while Jesse, the elder son struggles to cope with dyslexia, and ends up being ignored because of Kate. The film provides a detailed insight into a cancer patient's life, and how his/her near or dear ones are affected.

Brilliant performances by all of the actors, and most of all, it is not a preachy film about how life is meant to be lived to the fullest and all the blah. Tearjerker, yes. Preachy, no. In fact, it doesn't even carry a message or provide a lecture on how the protagonist's death affected lives of many people, as is the case with other films on the same theme. It is simple, unpretentious and heart touching. And that's where the beauty of the film lies.

Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5

No One Killed Jessica

And after a long time I went to watch a movie in the multiplex. Aah, how I love the cushy seats and the buttery popcorn! I went with one of my friends, S, who was very keen on watching the movie. I, on the other hand, was a little less enthusiastic about it, as I thought it would anyway premiere on TataSky sooner or later. Anyway, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to go along.

The movie is not just about Jessica Lall and her story. It is about how Sabrina fought tooth and nail to get justice for her sister. It is about the apathetic attitude of the Indian judiciary system, and more than that, it is about how the common man is used to the abysmal state of affairs. As our fiery protagonist Meera Gaity proclaims, 'Power only lies in the hands of a few people, all the common man has is the ability to tolerate.'

I have to mention here, Rani Mukherjee, in her comeback, steals the film with her portrayal of the no-nonsense attitude bitch Meera, and it is one of her best performances ever. If only actresses got meatier roles. Vidya, as Sabrina, is understated, subdued and inhibitive. Perfect.

Many of the characters in the film are cleverly inspired by real people. Also, the role of the media in taking the case to its rightful conclusion is highlighted just right. It constantly reinforces the message - Justice delayed is justice denied. Which is more than what can be said for the Indian judiciary system.

Though the climax is a bit tweaked, to reinforce the utopian conclusion, it definitely helps in enlightening the common man about fighting against all odds. Lovely film.

The Proposal

And I managed to watch The Proposal. Though I wouldn't really classify in the OMG-you-totally-have-to-watch-this-one category, it is a good one, and worth your time. It is a breezy rom-com flick, though with a slight twist, is what makes it a teeny weeny bit different from other frothy comedies.

The story is set in New York with Andrew (Ryan Fletcher) as an assistant to hard-nosed Margaret (Sandra Bullock, who is exceptionally good), editor-in-chief at a publishing company. As her visa expires, and she is about to be deported back to Canada, Margaret forces Andrew to marry her, so that she can stay back and keep her job. Andrew, on the other hand, has his own sweet little demands, which she agrees to meet. Grudgingly, both of them go to Alaska to visit Andrew's family, and there, both gradually fall in love with each other - with neither of them realising their feelings. And so begins the roller-coaster ride.

It is a decent comedy film, with taut editing and brilliant writing. It is sharp in places, and the pace never slackens, except for till the end, where it begins to sag a little. But, Bullock brilliantly holds up the movie with her portrayal of the cold, pushy corporate bitch who actually is a normal girl from inside. Reynolds also chips in well, but, Bullock walks away with the movie, literally.

A must watch for those looking for decent rom-coms with a difference!

Which movies to blog about and which not

Sometimes I wonder, am I that qualified to write reviews on movies? Some are so beautifully made, am I doing justice to them by writing my half-baked reviews about them? Well, there are people who aren't doing a good job out of it either, but...am I good at what I am going to do?

Which kind of movies do I blog about? After all, it's not about the plot. It's about how well I can write about the sensibilities of the movie, and how well I express my liking or disliking. And how well I can hone my flair with words.

Tonight I'm going to watch The Proposal. Let's see how well I'll be able to write about that!

Peepli Live/ Guzaarish

So, this weekend I managed to watch two movies - Peepli Live and Guzaarish. Both, critically acclaimed, and yes, I'm not going to let that influence me! So, here we go:

Peepli [Live]

Another movie out of the Aamir Khan stable. Great expectations, and immensely watchable are the terms. The movie is delightful - and it manages to tackle the issue of farmer suicides through such a quirky view, and demonstrates the apathy of government officials, and also takes jibes at the media. The protagonist, Natha, is brilliant, and you end up feeling so 'awwww' for him throughout the movie! The plot is slightly off-track (something's that never been done in India before - Hats off Anusha Rizvi!) and full of wry village humor. A must watch for anyone seeking entertaining yet intelligent cinema - and those who are sick and tired of Dabanng and Tees Maar Khan type films.

Guzaarish

Ah, a Sanjay Leela Bhansali film. I have to confess, I wasn't exactly dying to watch this one, since it was all about mercy killing - a subject that I'd rather stay away from. I'm not a fan of watching people dying to die. Plus, it kind of looked depressing to me.

I don't know what came over me today, and I actually sat down to watch it. And woah, was I blown away! (ye dirty minds, I was!). It is a superb movie, told in a very subtle way (which is SO unlike SLB movies - but he is the very guy who gave us Black AND Devdas. Compare.)

It tackles the sensitive issue of euthanasia, and broaches the subject of how a person wants to end his own life - with dignity. Which brings us to this question - how MUCH can a person suffer? Is pain really that painful that a person wants to END his life? With no hope of bouncing back? With no hope of living a normal life? How much has he already suffered before he

Our protagonist Ethan Mascarenhas (Roshan, in his undoubtedly best performance till date) struggles to answer these very questions. With the help of his friends Dr Naik and Devyani, he appeals to the court to end his life gracefully. His argument goes such that it is his own life, therefore he should be the one deciding when and how to end it, which is unacceptable to Indian law. A former magician, he is a quadriplegic confined to his bed since the last 14 years and shares a special bond with his nurse Sofia (Aishwarya, who surprisingly essays this part with a quiet grace). Also, making a mark is Aditya Roy Kapur as a budding magician, who injects freshness into the seemingly subtle movie.

All in all, a lovely movie. For all those who are low on life, and oh, before you go all -good-lord-not-another-life-is-beautiful-kinda-movie-not-really-my-types, it is not preachy. In fact, it subtly tells you how beautiful life is (yeah, how clichéd am I?) and how it is meant to be lived to the fullest using whatever you have. Because, life gives us so much - it is full of smiles,tears, aspirations, disappointments, expectations, randomness, eccentricity, laughs, giggles, friends, family, fighting, love, passion and..hope. And we wouldn't be doing justice to it unless we lived it to the fullest.

Let's go to the movies!

I love watching movies. And it's not just because I don't have anything else to do, it's just that...movies transport me to entirely another world. I love a good story, and movies are beyond that. They make you laugh and cry at the same time, and at times, inspire you.

Now, I always wanted to be a film critic. Most of the reviews I read in newspapers are either highly diplomatic or peppered with unflattering comments. Plus, a job is something you should enjoy - even after thirty years you should wake up with the same enthusiasm and be all like, 'Yes! I want to work!' And, what could be a better job than watching movies and telling people how much you loved or hated them?

The problem is, I have always been a biased critic. I can never watch movies with a critical eye, simply because I enjoy them too much, and dissecting each scene and watching out for performances interferes with my idea of enjoyment. I am partial to romantic comedies and any senti drama that makes me cry, or Shah Rukh Khan movies. But, with a steely determination, I decided that I would have to start somewhere, and ta-da, here I am!

And as far as possible, I'm going to stop reading reviews from now on, or watch movies on the first day itself so that I can have an unbiased view. And yes, no partiality too. I'm going to devote this blog solely to film reviews, so that I can hone my skills further. My other blog can be the space in which I can ramble.

Oh, how I love the movies!